Attackers did not crack a password, intercept a verification code or breach a single server; they simply asked Meta's own AI to hand over the keys.
A critical logical flaw in Meta's AI-powered Instagram account recovery assistant allowed threat actors to redirect password reset links to unauthorised email addresses, effectively seizing control of high-value Instagram accounts without ever triggering a traditional two-factor authentication challenge. The exploit, described by independent security researchers as a textbook case of prompt injection, was publicly documented on 1 June 2026. Meta issued an emergency patch the same evening.
